


Unmasked

by Jasandmonty



Category: Shadowhunters
Genre: M/M, hero alec, superhero au, villain magnus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 02:32:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8950456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jasandmonty/pseuds/Jasandmonty
Summary: "Dude!” He exclaimed gleefully. “It’s you! The Archer, that’s crazy! I see you on the news all the time!” Alec knew his brother was an idiot but this was a reach, even for him. “Run.” Alec said again, aggravation obvious in his voice. “My brother is an archer too, you know. He’d be so stoked to meet you, I bet. Can you like, sign something for him? His birthday is coming up and I haven’t bought him anything yet so this would be perfect--” //for the prompt: "You’re a superhero and I’m your best friend and what the fuck man? Why the hell didn’t you tell me? If you had maybe I would be fucking caught with this stupid ass monologue-ing villain"





	

Alec wore the mask for one reason, and that reason was blond and loud and sitting with ropes around his wrist in a warehouse. 

The most annoying thing about the whole situation was probably the hypocrisy. Jace could go out every night of the week and get hammered, but whenever Alec tried to talk him out of it he was simply met with an eye roll and, depending on how hammered Jace was, a punch on the shoulder. Jace could skip work to party, he could stay awake all night to play videogames, and he could get a tattoo at 3 AM from a guy in an alley and that was all perfectly fine. 

But if he knew that Alec was putting on a mask and fighting criminals at night, he’d say it was irresponsible. 

“You know, kidnapping drunk people isn’t that impressive.” Jace told his captor, and Alec wanted to yell at Jace from his position in the rafters to shut him up. “If you want to be a really notorious criminal, you should probably go for someone who could actually fight you off.” 

“So you’re saying I should’ve just come after you when you were sober and that would’ve been fine?” His captor asked, curling the rope between his slender hands. 

Alec had heard about this guy, but he’d yet to come face to face with him. His name was whispered around Brooklyn, his alias on everyone’s lips. He was always concocting potions and spells and things that he needed expensive ingredients for. Sometimes it was dangerous to get what he needed, so he kidnapped people and forced them to do his work for him. 

Apparently he rewarded those who were successful pretty well. But Alec knew that that didn’t happen to most people. 

He was called the High Warlock and, side note, he was probably the most attractive villain in the city. That didn’t matter, though. Not even a bit.

“The joke’s on you, psycho,” Jace declared haughtily, “I’m never sober.” 

The High Warlock sighed and moved closer to Jace with fluid steps that almost looked like steps in an enchanting dance routine. He was graceful and sophisticated and unlike most of the villains that Alec had to deal with. 

“Look, you can relax with the snarky defense mechanisms.” He told Jace with a smile. “I won’t hurt you as long as you complete the tasks that I give you.” 

“Oh man,” Jace’s laugh echoed in the large space, “I have a friend who would love this. His name is Simon and I can call him if you want, he’s really into this video game shit--” 

“Enough.” The Warlock snapped his fingers, which looked like they were glowing from the beam of bluish moonlight that burst through the opening in the rusty ceiling. “I’m making a potion and I need a few things. And you’re going to get them for me.” 

“What kind of potion?” Jace prodded, echoing Alec’s thoughts. 

“A reverse love potion.” 

“A reverse love potion?” Jace repeated, bewildered. “It like, makes you fall out of love?” 

“Yes.” The Warlock snapped. “Because sometimes relationships suck, okay? And everyone’s always coming to me and they’re like, ‘Oh Magnus, I’ve met the most enchanting person and you simply have to help me force them to be infatuated with me!’ and it’s bullshit, alright?”

He was getting emotional, Alec thought, so now was a good time to actually get to work and get his brother out of there. He searched the room for anything he could use as a weapon, which came up negative. 

It was flat and empty and the most stereotypical place you could be held hostage in. Honestly, for all the hype, this High Warlock guy was lackluster in performance. 

Alec was stuck using his arrows, which he only had a few of after hastily grabbing them on the way out the door. He needed to make every shot count. 

“Tough break-up, huh?” Jace asked, sympathy in every syllable. He was pretty good at distraction, apparently. Maybe he could be Alec’s sidekick. 

“Her name is Camille, and she is heartless.” The High Warlock said. “But sometimes in relationships you stay in love with who they were and not who they are. Sometimes--” 

Alec tuned out. He needed to concentrate, not listen to a heartbroken villain caught in his own soliloquy. 

He notched an arrow and pulled back, breathing steadily as he focused on the shoulder of the High Warlock’s flowy black shirt. He wasn’t going to hurt him, just going to startle him and buy enough time to drop down and free Jace from the binds.

And then he’d run like hell so Jace couldn’t realize who he was. 

He released the arrow. It hit its target perfectly, tearing through the shimmery fabric and making both Jace and the High Warlock look up at the ceiling with astonished expressions. 

Alec dropped down, sprinting toward Jace with his head bowed. He frantically worked at the knots, which weren’t very tight really but probably felt like they were glued together to the drunken Jace. They finally slipped and fell slack on the ground, and Alec shoved Jace out of the chair. 

“Run.” He said, keeping his voice low and hopefully unrecognizable. 

Jace did not run. He stayed, a wide grin on his face. 

“Dude!” He exclaimed gleefully. “It’s you! The Archer, that’s crazy! I see you on the news all the time!” 

Alec knew his brother was an idiot but this was a reach, even for him. 

“Run.” Alec said again, aggravation obvious in his voice. 

“My brother is an archer too, you know. He’d be so stoked to meet you, I bet. Can you like, sign something for him? His birthday is coming up and I haven’t bought him anything yet so this would be perfect--” 

“Fucking hell, Jace, run.” 

His golden eyes widened in confusion and he reached up to tug the mask off Alec’s face. 

“What the fuck, Alec?” He screeched, and Alec rolled his eyes because really he was a chronic diva and this wasn’t even surprising. “You’re The Archer? Dude you suck! Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“Because you’d have tried to stop me.” Alec said impatiently. “Or you’d want to come along and this is a prime reason why you shouldn’t come along.” 

“You know each other?” The High Warlock asked, looking merely annoyed rather than angry about his plan being foiled.

“Unfortunately.” Alec muttered. Jace looked wounded. “Look, I know you’re too lazy to get your own shit for your potions or whatever, but stay away from my brother. Or find a discount provider, I don’t know. Just stop forcing people to be in danger for your own benefit.” 

The High Warlock considered him, a contemplative look on his face. “You know I’ve never seen you without your mask before? You’re kind of cute.”

Alec spluttered. Jace laughed. 

“Maybe I don’t need a reverse love potion after all.” The Warlock said with a sultry wink in Alec’s direction. Alec grabbed Jace’s wrist and hauled him out, ignoring the way The Warlock called back to him with a promise to meet up with him again. 

“Alec, I feel like you’re mad at me.” Jace whined on the walk home. “Is it because I haven’t bought your birthday present yet? I’m working on it, I promise.” 

“It’s because you got yourself kidnapped by a lovesick villain and you wouldn’t even run when I told you to.” Alec hissed. “You’re not going to tell anyone about this, okay? Not Izzy, not Max, not Clary or Simon even though I know you tell them literally everything. It’s a secret.” 

“Fine, I promise.” Jace rolled his eyes. “But can you still give me that autograph?”

**Author's Note:**

> this was a prompt fill from forever ago that i never posted here??? well here u go!! if u wanna leave a prompt or come talk, hmu @kindasimonish on tumblr


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